American Friends of Sufi Arts, Culture and Knowledge

03/23/2025

𝙋𝙤𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨: 𝘼 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙯𝙖 & 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 𝘽𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙩

Join AFSACK for a dive into the artistic practice of Troy Makaza , who transforms silicone and pigment into striking compositions that narrate the complexities of life in Zimbabwe today. Moderated by Alexandra Baudelot, Director and Curator of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO’s inaugural exhibition Un Ciel intérieur, this conversation illuminates how Makaza’s Shona heritage and explorations of Sufism merge in his new monumental work, Mutiwaora (The tree is rotten).

Evolving from painting to tapestry-like sculpture, Makaza’s silicone-based process layers personal, political, and existential themes. Discover how these poetic transformations invite us to consider transitions—both physical and spiritual—and reflect on our own paths forward.

This event will be hosted on Zoom.
🔗 **Register through the link in our bio** or at afsack.org

03/13/2025

This Friday!

𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝘽𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙖 𝘽𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞

Join us this Friday for our latest installments of our Salon Conversations with guest moderator , Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO™ (), and visual artist , currently featured in the inaugural exhibition Un Ciel intérieur at MACS MTO™.

Bondi’s work unfolds at the intersection of visible worlds—nature, chemical phenomena, and transformations of matter—and the invisible realm of ritual and mysticism from non-Western sources of knowledge. Her dreamlike installations echo the environments in which they’re shown, revealing the potential for metamorphosis within every expression of life.

This session offers a unique opportunity to explore the processes shaping Bondi’s sculptures and installations, and the intangible links that connect us to both the natural and spiritual realms.

This event will be hosted on Zoom.

🔗 Register through the link in our bio or at afsack.org

Image: La clef d’huître, Courtesy of the artist and MACS MTO. Photo credit: Flint Media
© 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris

10/08/2024

We are honored to welcome multidisciplinary artist for our next salon series webinar!

Pinaree Sanpitak’s visual practice reflects on the female body as a symbolic site where physical and metaphorical spaces intersect.

Rooted in the transformational experience of motherhood as a simultaneous act of giving and receiving, she joins the recurring forms of breasts and clouds with the narratives of offering vessels and stupas.

For Un Ciel intérieur, the Inaugural Exhibition, she has created a new series of paintings that additionally draw from the kashkūls in the museum’s collection.

As we celebrate MACS MTO’s inaugural exhibition Un Ciel intérieur, featuring powerful pieces like those of Pinaree Sanpitak’s, we are reminded of the significance of Sufi art and culture in fostering deeper connections with ourselves and the world around us.

Join us for our next salon series webinar, Reciprocal Vessels: the Body and the Inner Journey, where we dive into Pinaree Sanpitak's art and her dialogue with Sufism.

📅 Thursday, October 10, 2024
🕘 9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 6pm CET

Register through the link in our bio or at afsack.org and be part of this captivating conversation!

Image:
Pinaree Sanpitak, The Red Cloud and The Offering Vessel, 2024
Paper, acrylic, gold leaf on canvas
Courtesy of the artist and Ames Yavuz.
Photo Aroon Permpoonsopol.

10/04/2024

Event Announcement: 'Reciprocal Vessels: the Body and the Inner Journey' with

Embark on a journey through 'Reciprocal Vessels: the Body and the Inner Journey' as we engage in a profound dialogue on the artistic practice of Pinaree Sanpitak, one of her generation's most respected Thai artists. Unravel the interwoven narratives that shape her work, which sits at the intersection of physical and metaphorical space.

Join us for an insightful dialogue at AFSACK's Salon Talk featuring the distinguished multidisciplinary artist Pinaree Sanpitak. We'll explore the intricate connections between the symbolic dimension of her artistic motifs, the dialogue with Sufism, and the place of the female body in her work. Discover how her visual representations weave together diverse elements, offering a cathartic experience and powerful new works created for the inaugural exhibition 'Un Ciel Intérieur.'

This thought-provoking journey transcends conventional boundaries, redefining visual art, symbolism, and self-portraiture through Pinaree Sanpitak’s insights.

Moderated by , Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO (MACS MTO), this event promises to be a thought-provoking experience. Join us on Zoom for this enriching conversation.

🗓 Thursday, October 10, 2024 — 9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 6pm CET

🔗 Register through the link in our bio or at afsack.org



Image Courtesy of Pinaree Sanpitak and Ames Yavuz

10/03/2024

This past week, the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO officially opened its doors, unveiling its inaugural exhibition, Un Ciel Intérieur. Thanks to grants from the American Friends of Sufi Arts, Culture, and Knowledge (AFSACK), this momentous occasion became a reality, celebrating Sufi art and culture in a profound way.

AFSACK President Parastou Youssefi and Treasurer Stefan Smith were among the first to tour the museum and view Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian’s Triangle, one of the first additions to the museum’s collection, acquired by AFSACK from the . Triangle, a breathtaking mirror-mosaic, showcases Farmanfarmaian’s intricate geometric craftsmanship and spiritual symbolism. It is a striking example of her work, where geometric forms and reflective surfaces invite inner contemplation.

donors joined those from our affiliates, and , for exclusive pre-opening receptions, celebrating this new cultural landmark and its exceptional collections.

The museum’s opening week welcomed international supporters and visitors, marking a significant milestone in the global appreciation of Sufi art, culture, and heritage.

09/14/2024

06/09/2024

Many thanks to all who joined us for 𝙎𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝: 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨é𝙚 𝙙’𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙏𝙊. This event initiated a new series of Salon Conversations delving into the artistic program at the Musée d'Art et de Culture Soufis MTO with Alexandra Baudelot, Director MACS MTO

Opening on September 28th, 2024, MACS MTO is the first museum dedicated to exploring the principles and artistic expressions of Sufism. Built on a foundational platform of dialogue with the beliefs and questions of our time, the Museum’s inaugural exhibition features the works of seven international contemporary artists, selected for their connections and affinities to Sufi values and relationship with spiritual thought and contemplation.

For this first session, Baudelot joined AFSACK to share how Sufism can act as a catalyst for artistic research and discovery, previewing both the opening of the Museum and the Salon Conversations she’ll host throughout the upcoming series.

If you missed the event or would like to watch it again, please find the event recording on our website: https://www.afsack.org/salonseries/sufism-as-a-museological-approach-opening-the-musee-d-art-et-de-culture-soufis-mto

Stay tuned for the next conversation coming up in the series!

05/29/2024

TOMORROW: 𝙎𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝: 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨é𝙚 𝙙’𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙏𝙊, a conversation with Alexandra Baudelot, Director

🗓 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 — 9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 6pm CET

Join us tomorrow for the first of a new series of Salon Conversations with Alexandra Baudelot, the Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO™ (MACS MTO™), the first museum entirely dedicated to exploring the principles and artistic expressions of Sufism.

Dating from the Achaemenid period to the present, the museum’s collection is comprised of sculptures and site-specific installation, ceramics and earthenware, tapestries and textiles, calligraphy works and manuscripts, historic artifacts, and everyday objects. MACS MTO also has an active acquisition program which covers Sufi art and artifacts, as well as contemporary works.

This event will be hosted on Zoom.

🔗 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗳𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗸.𝗼𝗿𝗴

05/27/2024

THIS WEEK: 𝙎𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝: 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨é𝙚 𝙙’𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙏𝙊, a conversation with Alexandra Baudelot, Director

🗓 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 — 9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 6pm CET

Join us for the first of a new series of Salon Conversations with Alexandra Baudelot, the Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO.

For this first session, Baudelot joins AFSACK to share how Sufism can act as a catalyst for artistic research and discovery, previewing both the opening of the museum MACS MTO and the Salon Conversations she’ll host throughout the upcoming series.

This event will take place on Zoom.

🔗 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗳𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗸.𝗼𝗿𝗴

05/21/2024

This month, AFSACK is launching a new series of Salon Conversations with Alexandra Baudelot, the Director of the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO .

𝙎𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝: 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨é𝙚 𝙙’𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙏𝙊
🗓 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 — 9am PDT | 12pm EDT | 6pm CET

MACS MTO is located on the banks of the Seine in the Parisian suburb of Chatou, facing the historic Île des Impressionnistes. Housed in a newly-restored 19th-century mansion, the Museum features 600 square-meters of exhibition space across three stories, a Sufi garden, and an archival research library.

A permanent collection of Sufi art and cultural objects, along with a program of semi-annual contemporary exhibitions, talks, events, and workshops at MACS MTO will explore the rich contributions of Sufism to global art and culture throughout history.

This event will be hosted on Zoom – https://www.facebook.com/events/999133384935485/

05/18/2024

Today marks International Council of Museums - ICOM's International Museums Day 2024!

With this year’s theme of “Museums for Education and Research,” AFSACK is thrilled to announce a new series of Salon Conversations delving into the artistic program at the Musée d'Art et de Culture Soufis MTO .

Upcoming Event 🗓 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 — 𝙎𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙢 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙈𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝: 𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙪𝙨é𝙚 𝙙’𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙚𝙩 𝙙𝙚 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙏𝙊, a conversation with Alexandra Baudelot, Director Musée d'Art et de Culture Soufis MTO

Opening on September 28th, 2024, the Musée d’Art et de Culture Soufis MTO™ (MACS MTO™) is the first museum dedicated to exploring the principles and artistic expressions of Sufism. Built on a foundational platform of dialogue with the beliefs and questions of our time, MACS MTO engages Sufism as a framework for multidisciplinary exploration.

For this first session, Baudelot joins AFSACK to share how Sufism can act as a catalyst for artistic research and discovery, previewing both the opening of the museum and the Salon Conversations she’ll host throughout the upcoming series.

This event will be hosted on Zoom https://www.facebook.com/events/999133384935485/